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HAROLD
01-10-2003, 05:45 PM
WELCOME TO THIS ROOM, IN THIS THREAD YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING ANY GAME AND EVERY THING YOU THINK IS KOOL, IN HERE YOU CAN POST EVERY YOU WANT AND EVERY PICTURE U WANT :cool: H@VE FUN GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek:

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 06:11 PM
That’s right, the master chief is back in a totally new world. For those of you who haven’t played Halo then here is what you should know. Halo was an amazing first-person shooter and the game of the year in 2001. It was praised for its combination of graphics, game play, and multiplayer options. You veterans shouldn’t get too excited yet cause this game isn’t coming out for another year (I know its hard to wait but there’s nothing we can do about it.) Also, the information in this article has been hinted by Bungie but none of it is official yet.

Forget what you know about good graphics because Bungie is working on a game that will blow you away. From the reflection of your helmet to the bullets flying out of your sniper, everything is immaculate. Bungie has added a lighting program that shows realistic shadows cast all over. What adds to the experience is the development of a technique called bump mapping. It allows the creator to use fewer polygons but create a more detailed object- very weird. For example, take a look at the warthog (one of the Master Chiefs most useful vehicles) before bump mapping and afterwards. The difference is amazing.


__________________

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 06:11 PM
know most of you Halo fans never got bored of this game but wouldn’t it be nice to have more than seven portable guns? Well now there are. Right now only two more are known but it should be a nice change. The master chief can now wield the fast shooting but not so accurate sub-machine gun or the slower firing very accurate assault rifle (it has a scope.) Other than weapons, the Master chief has many new toys. He can now drive a moon buggy thing for a lower-gravity type mission and a new flying craft called the Covenant Shadow (nice name.) Not much is known about the moon buggy but the Shadow is a one-seated ship with room for a gunner and two people to sit on the sides. This should be fun in multiplayer (more on that later.) The third known vehicle is the ATV. Like most of the other information, we don't know alot about itAlong with new weapons come new moves. No longer do you have to a trudge across a battlefield with enemies firing at you and get to the other side half dead. The master chief can now put his guns away and sprint for a limited period of time. Good work Bungie! Also, there is now a stealth type move that lets you peer around corners. You can’t shoot but the enemy can’t see you either. I personally think its not a very useful move but its a change.


A major difference in this game is that the vehicles are destructible. Come to think of it, everything is destructible, the walls, ground, vehicle, and your enemies. It’s not over the top like Red Faction where you could blow holes in the ground and hide in them. It’s just enough to be realistic.


Don’t expect this game to be as straighforward as the last one. Not only are the enemies stronger but they’re smarter to. Instead of running out screaming they look for you in groups. You can counter this in many ways but there are only two ways known so far. One is to hide in the dark. You can shoot out lights and stay in the darkness until they pass, but be careful because every once in a while an enemy will find you there. The second way is with the use of a new grenade. You can place a grenade somewhere and when a group goes by- BAM. No its not a proximity mine but its a detonator mine which is almost as good.


What would you call a battlefield with up to fifteen other people’s bullets, rockets, warthogs, and grenades flying past you face? Halo 2! Possibly the greatest addition to this game is the gigantic multiplayer option. You can now go online and play with up to sixteen people at a time (that’s right- sixteen!) From a one on one tournament to a team tournament, this will forever change the meaning of multiplayer. If you are worried about the price, X-Box Live is quite reasonable (compared to Gamecube.) This will be a great reason to buy X-Box.


This game will most likely be the best shooter of all time (until Halo 3.) If you are a first-person maniac then this is the game for you. Personally, I’m going to get X-Box, the game, and sign up for X-Box Live just for this game. If your wondering whether this is going to be worth a rent or a buy then just buy it!

:eek:

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 06:13 PM
CHECK THIS OUT

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 06:42 PM
HEY GUYS READ THIS ABOUT DOOM 3 :eek:

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 06:43 PM
The year: 2145. The place: Mars.

We're currently zooming over the Martian landscape, passing over a massive installation of the Union Aerospace Corporation. Inside, a number of guards are chatting as a scientist passes by and sneaks into a nearby room.

Now sitting at a computer terminal, the camera pulls in close to the scientist. He's nervous, obviously up to something he shouldn't be. His face is lit up by the glow of the computer screen, flickering in unison with the display of information on the monitor.

After a few moments, explosions rock the facility, causing machinery to crash to the floor and sending boxes falling off shelves. Cut to: a red portal, with a number of ghostly skulls flying out of it. They rip through the installation's personnel, changing them into something …not quite human.

Elsewhere in the facility, you duck into a corner when a huge shadow suddenly envelopes the area. The creature attached to it is at least a few feet taller than you, and it's hard not to feel overwhelmed as it slowly lumbers by. You smartly choose not to fire your pistol as the creature passes, oblivious to your presence … for now.

This is DOOM III, and it's going to scare you to hell.

The Theater of Terror

We're not actually on Mars, of course. This is all happening in Los Angeles, inside the DOOM III booth at the Electronics Entertainment Expo. The booth, which has been created to look like a UAC structure from the game, has more in common with a Disneyland attraction than your typical trade show display. Outside, three plasma screens are running a video showing the history of DOOM (including footage from DOOM III and interviews with team members) … but inside is where the real action is. This is where, starting Wednesday morning, id Software and Activision will be giving the world their first look at DOOM III via a demo presented completely in the working game engine. Having seen the 11-minute presentation in its entirety -- twice -- I can safely say: you're going to be amazed.
The small theater resembles a ship, with computer terminals and textured walls and surfaces that appear to have come straight out of the game. For purposes of showing off the demo, the theater contains an 8 x 6 foot projection screen, as well as a Dolby 5.1 surround sound system (which is supported by the game), complete with subwoofers built into three rows of benches. One of the theater lights even flickers on and off, mimicking some of the lighting effects in the game. (The theater is supposedly designed to hold 15 people at a time, but we're suspecting that number will reach as high as 20 once the lines start growing.)

Sitting nearby is Marty Stratton, id Software's Director of Business Development, who's pretty excited about the game. It's hard to blame him -- DOOM III is easily one of the most highly anticipated titles in development by anyone at the moment. Before actually seeing the demo, I was able to chat with Marty and ask many of the questions gamers have been asking since DOOM III was announced well over a year ago. Some of the answers, we found, were quite surprising.

Cloud Strife
01-10-2003, 06:44 PM
Blinx: The Timesweeper is my favorite Xbox game. My second favorite is Gun Valkyrie.;)

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 06:44 PM
One of the first things to understand about DOOM III is that it's not being designed as your typical first-person shooter, where elements like plot and atmosphere often take a back seat to the action. The game will take a more deliberate pace, to allow gamers to soak in the surroundings. "One of the design goals of the game is to terrify people," Stratton explains, "we're setting up scenarios to scare people." The demonstration contains a number of moments that illustrate this point, including one where your character is checking out his reflection in a mirror … and you suddenly spot another creature off to the side, rapidly charging your way.

While id isn't planning on giving away the entire plot of the game anytime soon, Stratton did give us a few ofthe basics: DOOM III is basically a "retelling" of the original DOOM, with many of the same characters and themes, and even some returning weapons. Most of the game is set on Mars, where you're a marine recently stationed at the Union Aerospace Corporation, a company with strong military ties doing experimentation with teleportation technology. It seems a few people at the UAC don't exactly have everyone's best interests at heart, and after a betrayal, things quickly descend into chaos, with members of the facility being possessed and turned into zombies. This is where you come in -- as one quote from the demonstration put it, "only one man stands between hell and earth... you."

Details are also a bit thin on the many of the enemies, weapons and levels, but there were some elements that could be seen in the demonstration. There were a number of zombies roaming the UAC installation, based off both civilian and security personnel. There were also a number of seemingly non-human creatures present -- many of whom attacked with quick, lunging attacks, and were all modeled and animated exquisitely. The main character carried a pistol for the majority of the demonstration, but also got to wield a shotgun (causing much spattering of blood), as well as an assault rifle that reminded me quite a bit of the one from Halo. And while the entire demonstration was set in the UAC facility, we're told that you'll also get to make a trip to Hell.

For the game, id has enlisted the services of science fiction writer Matthew Costello to pen the game story and dialogue. Costello is no rookie to this sort of thing -- you may recognize him as the writer of the 7th Guest and The 11th Hour games. The game has already been storyboarded from start to finish, so it's clear the developers know exactly what they're shooting for. You can expect the plot to be furthered along through a combination of in-game scripted scenes and in-engine cinematics, but nothing rendered -- everything will happen inside the new engine.

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 06:46 PM
The Technology

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While there are all sorts of little plot points and gameplay elements that could be picked up from the demonstration, the star of the show is the new DOOM engine itself. Even in this early state, it is -- by far -- the most impressive game engine I've ever seen.

One of the most obvious additions to the new engine is the lighting system -- lights are now completely dynamic, reacting with every object in the game world in an appropriate way. As Stratton explained, "you can have a character with one light on him, throw a second light on him, move it around, and everything reacts naturally." As mentioned in the beginning of this article, there's a scene where a scientist sits in front of a computer, which casts a glow upon his face in addition to the other light already present in the room. As the computer display changes, so does the overall lighting, similar to how a television will light up a dark room. Shadows also play a big role -- at a number of points in the demo, you'd see a shadow approach before the actual enemy, giving you a chance to react before being attacked.

For DOOM III, id is hoping to take a very cinematic approach - one of their employees (Fred Nilsson) has an extensive film background, having worked on features such as Antz and Shrek, which is representative of the level of detail id is shooting for. You can expect to see lots of animations for eyes and mouths, as well as syncing, and they've also developed an entirely new scripting system as well as a "fairly robust" camera system.


A number of other significant changes have also been made for the new engine. Textures are no longer simply painted -- they're now models with complete bump-mapping. Models are so detailed that you can see pores on a character's face or even the individual hairs on their head, and a skeletal animation system allowing for blending of multiple animations should make character movements appear more natural.

Another highlight of the demo was the physics and collision system -- items reacted to surrounding events in ways we've yet to see before in any game. "Things fly off shelves as they should," said Stratton, "it just makes the world so much more alive." Indeed, one scene shows a character falling down a flight of steps, reacting to each step along the way, while another shows boxes getting knocked off a shelf and bouncing to the floor in an entirely realistic manner.

There's been quite a bit of speculation about the sound design for DOOM III, in particular if a certain musician of Nine Inch Nails fame will be involved. While an agreement has yet to be worked out for the full game, Stratton confirmed that Trent Reznor indeed did all of the sound effects for id's E3 presentation. As mentioned, DOOM III will support Dolby 5.1 surround sound, and if you're able, seeing -- and hearing -- the presentation at full volume is an experience unto itself. As Reznor was quoted, "we want to get inside your head and make it an unpleasant place to be."


One of the more interesting technical innovations we saw is a new GUI system that allows for Flash-like animation on any surface, and can be completely interactive. Unlike most current games, where a keypad or switch might be portrayed with a few simple textures, these items can now be presented with much more detail.

With all this technology going on, we suspect a lot of gamers might be wondering what kind of machine they'll need to play DOOM III come next year. Since the game is still a ways off from completion, it's tough to say, but as Stratton put it, "John [Carmack] has always managed to really hit the mark when it comes to bleeding edge … but still be on enough systems so that people can play the game." In other words, machines should fast enough to run the game when it's released.

The Development Process

It was a little hard to tell how far along in development DOOM III is at the moment -- it appears that everything is still being worked on in varying degrees, from the engine to the tools to the game content. John Carmack has reportedly been working on the new engine since before Team Arena was released, but now all of id's 20 employees are focused on DOOM III, representing the most employees the company's ever had. Of this group, about 16 are working on the game itself (not counting biz peeps like Stratton and CEO Todd Hollenshead), including:
John Carmack - engine
Tim Willits - lead designer / project director
Adrian Carmack - art / design
Kevin Cloud - art / design
Robert Duffy - tools
Christian Antkow - sound / design
Graeme Devine - sound and particle systems
Jan Paul van Waveren - physics system / collision detection
Fred Nilsson - animation
Jim Dosé - AI and scripting
Kenneth Scott - art / models
Andy Chang - art / design
Seneca Menard - art / models
This isn't the entire team by any means, and as Marty explained, "there's a lot of crossover in between these guys -- they do different things."

With all the developers who have licensed the Quake 3 engine over the last several years, I asked if this was something that was kept in mind as the engine was being developed. It seems id is totally focused on creating the best engine possible for DOOM III first, and licensing second. "John develops the engine with what we want to do in mind," explains Stratton, "we make a lot of programming decisions based on what the focus of the game is -- for DOOM III, we're focused almost entirely on the single-player."

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 06:48 PM
Don't think for a second that id is giving up on the licensing business, however. "Developers have always wanted to license our technology and I don't expect that to be any different with DOOM III", continued Stratton, "it is going to be the most unbelievable technology out there."

On the other side of the fence, we uncovered a major bit of info that will be of particular interest to mod developers: the development tools are built into the game's executable. So, as Stratton put it "when you're running the game, you're running the editor." What this means is that you'll be able to walk around in a level, press a key, bring up the editor, place some lights, and go back to the level. It seems the old .BSP process is gone, and will be replaced by something different, so while this may be a bit of a learning curve for mappers, they can rest easy knowing that tools will be included with the game. (Ed. note: in a later interview with Robert Duffy, it was explained that the BSP process is still present, but the lighting and visibility calculations are no longer necessary, as they're handled by the engine in real time.)

Other Random Bits Of Doomness

id Software's games have always been known for great multiplayer action, but for now, DOOM III is all about the single-player experience. One thing we were able to confirm, however, is that a deathmatch mode is expected at the very least; other decisions will be made as development continues.

Another hot rumor we were able to clear up was the question of an Xbox port. Some magazines had reported DOOM III could possibly be Xbox first … or Xbox only. According to Stratton, DOOM III is currently being developed for the PC and PC only -- there could well be an Xbox version at some point (John Carmack is a member of the Xbox advisory committee), but that decision hasn't been made yet, and probably won't be for some time. (Ed. note: no information on a Mac port was mentioned during the interview.)

The Demonstration


Even the booth's control panel looks like part of DOOM III's Mars installation. With all the chatter out of the way, we finally got to see the DOOM III presentation in the theater in all its glory. The demo is 11 minutes long, rendered live in the game engine, broken up into a few large sections.

The first section of the presentation is essentially cinematic setup for the action to follow, before moving on to actual gameplay. The demo starts out with a spinning id Software logo, and after revealing the year to be 2145, moves to an external shot of Mars. The game then cuts to the planet surface, as the camera flies over a large UAC installation. Inside, the aforementioned scientist is talking to someone off-screen, and as the camera moves in, you can see some amazing modeling and lighting effects on his face.

Shortly thereafter, explosions rip through the facility and we're treated to shots of machinery collapsing and other items being knocked over, showing off the physics engine. We see the possession of one of the guards, and as the camera cuts to a close-up of your character, riding unscathed down an elevator, we're treated to some even more impressive modeling.

The first section of actual gameplay features you with a pistol, moving in first-person mode through the UAC facility. The levels have a cold, silvery, metallic look, and are all dramatically lit -- your character looks up to view a swinging fluorescent light, and then at the floor where you can see the shadow of a spinning ceiling fan. As you move through the area, you'll come across a number of zombies that appear to have been civilians at one point -- as you fire your pistol, you'll see little flashes of flame and smoke emit from the barrel. Finally, as you duck behind a wall for cover, you'll see a large shadow appear ... attached to a much larger creature.


More from inside the booth. The next section starts out with a large creature bursting out through a series of pipes to attack you. Here, we got to see the main character carry a number of other weapons, including the aforementioned shotgun and assault rifle. Later in the demonstration, you'll get to see the footage first shown at last year's QuakeCon, where another monster drags a chubby zombie into a restroom, leaving a trail of blood smeared across the tiled floor.

Some other nifty visual effects from the presentation -- there were unique reflective properties to glass or mirrors shown off, and when your player is injured by a monster it was indicated by quick faint flash of blood red claw marks across the screen. Other than a crosshair, there was only no HUD in the presentation, and it's unknown what the status of the HUD will be. (Author's note: there was actually a small one-line HUD in the lower left, originally cut off by the booth projector screen.)

The presentation ends with a climactic battle between your character and the biggest baddie in the presentation. Well, it's no so much a battle as it is getting your ass kicked. One interesting effect -- as the scene starts, your character's shadow is cast upon a door, it's then dwarfed by the shadow of the oncoming creature. And even though your character gets killed, it's worth seeing just for the death sequence -- after you convulse a few times, the monster comes by to beat you up and toss you around just a little bit more.

From the looks of things, it appears that id is well on their way to creating another memorable classic. As Stratton put it, "we want to create a single-player experience that people are just not going to forget". With a good mix of action, terror, and perhaps the most realistic and immersive game engine to date, they may indeed make good on that promise...and then some. •

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 06:51 PM
NASTY MONSTER! FOR DOOM 3

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 06:52 PM
ZOMBIES WHAT AN UGLY THING FOR DOOM 3

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 06:53 PM
WOW BIG *SS MONSTER :eek:

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 06:54 PM
RED GUYS KOOL FOR DOOM 3

AlBoogy
01-10-2003, 07:14 PM
Stop bumping your own thread. First of all you gave some HORRIBLE games to vote for. Why whacked is on your poll is beyond me.

RadRider
01-10-2003, 08:29 PM
What about Deathrow? Deathrow is definitely my favorite of all Xbox games to date, followed by Unreal Championship, then BloodRayne (the last of which should be arriving in about 10 days). Yep, it's a good time to be a gamer, and an even better time to own an Xbox.

Liquid Gears
01-10-2003, 08:56 PM
By far Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance is the best, second best up there is Splinter Cell.

Qbas
01-10-2003, 09:07 PM
Well i voted for Splinter Cell because it is the best Xbox game that i have, it tops even Halo :)

Cloud Strife
01-10-2003, 09:09 PM
Originally posted by RadRider
What about Deathrow? Deathrow is definitely my favorite of all Xbox games to date, followed by Unreal Championship, then BloodRayne (the last of which should be arriving in about 10 days). Yep, it's a good time to be a gamer, and an even better time to own an Xbox. Your actually going to name Bloodrayne. Deathrow was all right. Gun Valkyrie is the best. All my favorite Xbox games are Japanese. I want some linear RPG's on Xbox.

MGS2 Substance is far better than Splinter Cell.

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 09:24 PM
I THINK HALO RULES I LOVE HALO. HALO IS MY FAVORITE GAME :eek: .OH AND LOOK AT THIS PIC IS VERY KOOL A ZOMBIE FOR DOOM 3 :eek:

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 09:25 PM
THIS IS ANOTHER MONSTER :cool:

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 09:28 PM
LOOK AT THIS MONSTER FOR DOOM 3

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 09:30 PM
AND I LIKE THIS GAME TOO IS FOR PC LOOK AT IT: :cool:

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 09:56 PM
Portable Xbox in Three Years?
Aramo | 6:54 | Console

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said that it would take his company at least three years to develop a portable console that built on the company's existing Xbox. "It'll be several years, more like three years, before you could do something like an Xbox in a portable factor," Gates explained. He made this statement in an interview with Reuters ahead of a speech at the Consumer Electronics Show.

:cool:

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 09:57 PM
Portable Xbox in Three Years?
Aramo | 6:54 | Console

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said that it would take his company at least three years to develop a portable console that built on the company's existing Xbox. "It'll be several years, more like three years, before you could do something like an Xbox in a portable factor," Gates explained. He made this statement in an interview with Reuters ahead of a speech at the Consumer Electronics Show.

:cool:

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 10:35 PM
can someone vote please!!!!!!! :confused: :confused: :confused:

HAROLD
01-10-2003, 10:36 PM
what you guys think about the portable xbox i read it then i post it i think is really good :eek: :eek: :D

ALC
01-11-2003, 01:23 AM
this is a terrible thread! lmao
not to be mean or anything, but are all your posts in this one thread, harold?

AlBoogy
01-11-2003, 01:43 AM
I feel like Im being force fed this thread,,,,,

GokuX
01-11-2003, 01:51 AM
I played the Doom 3 Alpha all the way through and it definitely showcases the best graphics to date. It feels like a real-time Resident Evil with the same chill factor. The best part was the guy's faint reflection in the glass you're looking at as he runs up behind you, soo creepy. The lighting rules and the audio is pretty good up to this point. I hate the zombies being able to get up again after being killed. It actually runs farely decent on my computer and is supposed to run alot better in the full version. With Doom 3 you really just have to play it to really see how graphically impressive and creepy it is. The downside is the gameplay seems like it will run a little thin. I can't envision the same sort of AI for zombies that the covenant exhibited in Halo. I also don't think it will have quite the "epic"-ness to it that Halo has and probably Halo 2 will have. My feeling is Doom 3 will be a once through game then after that you probably will only play it to show it off to your friends. I can't see the multiplayer being all that great unless they implement a co-op mode wherein you and your pals can go through the single player missions. I think Halo 2 is gonna come out on top in terms of overall greatness. Ok so Halo 2 isn't even an option in the polls.....Booo.:mad:

The Jackal
01-11-2003, 06:53 PM
Marvel vs. Capcom 2!!! oh wait its not on the list :confused: ... but it should be!! (when it comes out for Xbox)

Cloud Strife
01-11-2003, 06:55 PM
Originally posted by The Jackal
Marvel vs. Capcom 2!!! oh wait its not on the list :confused: ... but it should be!! (when it comes out for Xbox) I have Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on Dreamcast right now and it's awesome. I don't know whether I'll buy it for Xbox though.

FuNkY mOnK
01-11-2003, 07:45 PM
Harold take it easy, is there an astroid heading for earth we should know about?

Xbox Owner
01-11-2003, 08:26 PM
Originally posted by FuNkY mOnK
Harold take it easy, is there an astroid heading for earth we should know about?

LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D :D

HAROLD
01-11-2003, 08:26 PM
here is a very kool pic for halo 2 http://www.topconsoles.com/picture....subgal=Halo%202

HAROLD
01-11-2003, 08:28 PM
look at this website. in this website you can see 20 pictures halo 2 is very kool http://www.topconsoles.com/gallery....subgal=Halo%202

HAROLD
01-11-2003, 08:32 PM
i want to know what LMFAO mean???????????????????????

HAROLD
01-11-2003, 08:36 PM
Harold take it easy, is there an astroid heading for earth we should know about? i think a big asteroid will crash and destroy earth and even my favorite game 'halo' .So take cover now!!!!!!!!

HAROLD
01-11-2003, 08:41 PM
iam just kidding. But i still dont know what you mean by take it easy .iam just kidding. But i still dont know what you mean by 'take it easy ' :p ;) :D :cool:

Xbox Owner
01-11-2003, 10:10 PM
LMFAO = Laugh my f*cking ass off.

And Harold, you're going to be banned soon if you keep posting like this. There is a edit button, stop posting in a row. At least let one person to post before you post again man. If you don't stop posting in a row, you won't be able to post again for a looooong time. So I advise you to stop.:)

AlBoogy
01-11-2003, 10:13 PM
Originally posted by Xbox Owner
LMFAO = Laugh my f*cking ass off.

And Harold, you're going to be banned soon if you keep posting like this. There is a edit button, stop posting in a row. At least let one person to post before you post again man. If you don't stop posting in a row, you won't be able to post again for a looooong time. So I advise you to stop.:)

Why this thread hasnt been locked already puzzles me.

Cloud Strife
01-11-2003, 10:27 PM
You guys though I posted a lot.:confused:

GokuX
01-11-2003, 11:07 PM
Originally posted by AlBoogy


Why this thread hasnt been locked already puzzles me.

Cuz people can't resist looking at train wrecks.

Frink
01-12-2003, 01:58 AM
Originally posted by GokuX


Cuz people can't resist looking at train wrecks. But eventually someone has to come out and clean up the scene.

And Harold, if you plan on staying a while at XBA, keep your massive spamming to a minium. It is frowned upon.